Like having a set of snow chains on your feet, nothing makes traversing winter's icy conditions easier than metal spikes on the bottom of your boots. But indoors, they can really tear up the floors and carpeting. So Germany's Meindl has created the perfect compromise: spiked boots with a geared mechanism to retract the metal studs when not needed.

They save you from having to carry around removable crampons, or wet and dirty swappable soles. And they can be easily extended or retracted with a fold-out dial located on the heel. Meindl will only be including the system on its boots designed for extreme outdoor activities and weather, with pricing to be revealed closer to their expected release sometime in September of this year.